No re-exam of geography paper: ICSE board

The CISCE has ruled out holding of any re-examination for the Class 10 geography paper of the ICSE exams, even after it was found to be strikingly similar to a pre-board paper of a prominent school in South Mumbai.

The Council of Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has ruled out holding of any re-examination for the Class 10 geography paper of the ICSE exams, even after it was found to be strikingly similar to a pre-board paper of a prominent school in South Mumbai. Instead, a fact-finding committee will be set up to conduct a detailed investigation.

The decision was taken after the council concluded its preliminary inquiry into the incident on Monday. The inquiry was initiated on March 12, following complaints from teachers and parents from Mumbai that there were 80% similarities between the board exam and the school’s preliminary exam.

Gerry Arathoon, chief executive and secretary of CISCE, said, “We have decided not to conduct a re-exam for geography. But the fact-finding committee will continue to investigate further.”

The council’s decision evoked mixed reactions from parents, teachers and students across the city. While, many were upset that students of the south Mumbai school will gain unfairly in the test, others welcomed the decision as it will reduce the pressure of a re-exam from the students. According to Arathoon, nearly 250 students from the concerned South Mumbai school had appeared for the exam.

“I am disappointed with the council’s decision, because it is unfair to other students who did not have access to that school’s paper. It looks as if the board is down-playing the incident,” said a parent of an ICSE student from Juhu.

Eugene D’Monte, principal of St Peter’s School, Mazgaon, said, “We have to understand that children must be looking forward to the end of exams in a few days, so holding a re-exam would have again put pressure on them. Families, teachers must have also planned holidays according to the exam schedule. So, I think it is fair that the council said no to re-exams.”